Perhaps you miss what Paul states in Romans 10:17

“and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

It is not by our preaching, but by the word of Christ we are saved.

Jesus stated: “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.” (John 12: 47-48)
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So we are saved by the words of Christ not man or men. You are missing what I am stating in saying “men wrote the bible” I do not disagree. I am stating that the bible does not depend on us for its validation nor did Jesus need the validation of men… John 5:39 -43

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. “I do not accept praise from men, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.

Now if i am being obtuse, so was Jesus as i am just quoting what He stated and what the bible teaches… and for some reason you argue with me? = )

For what reason i do not know… btw this is what I meant earlier as to the difference between myself and Ken. Ken would go into “I am the pastor/teacher and God’s gift to you” I appeal directly to what the bible states.

iggy

If you are suggesting that no specific doctrinal issues are germaine, and that a blanket “I have the Bible and Jesus” covers it all, then you are left with little else as it pertains to discussing truth. Your disdain for Ken etc. seems to blind you to honest and thoughtful disagreements, even strong diagreements, among people who say they rely solely on Jesus and the Bible (that’s pretty much everybody except the Catholics).

You claim the Bible’s “testimony” as authoritative and yet men interpret the Bible’s testimony” differently. I am an old man, I get confused.

Again, he adds to the testimony of God, Jesus the Holy Spirit and the bible. I would usually go straight to the bible for my points in talking to people.

As far as;

Everything about the Bible is interpreted through “man’s testimony”.

That is the issue I am addressing with you now, it is backwards. Man’s testimony should be interpreted through the bible’s testismony.

iggy

Actually, it is an cop out that refuses accountability.

BTW – Please don’t disagree with me, Iggy, because I have Jesus and the Bible and that is enough. (see, that is my point)

cuz that is what I am hearing…

I am not meaning to put words in your mouth… but with all the words that you just stated, that is the bottom line.

Now as far as the “cults”… I disagree… they will add other things like the book of Mormon or re-translate it as in the case of the Watchtower society or follow a man who claims some sort of “new” revelation in the case or David Koresh.

Brian is not reveal anything “new” there are many Christians that held his views before his books came out… and there is much more differences in the case that he is not saying he is the “only” one that has the understanding… in fact he tips his hat to many many different people.

So, once again we disagree… but I see your point and see that instead of stand on the truth of the bible, you stand beside it with man’s testimony to back it.

I am not meaning to be harsh, but if we believe in the bible and in Jesus, why do you insist we need man’s testimony added to it?

iggy

Emergent/emerging – A new way of practicing and defining Christianity. Some focus on including the acts of compassion without changing the gospel message while many seem preoccupied with altering many important and established doctrinal teachings.

Iggy – It is true that we can go overboard in our doctrinal vigilance, even suggesting that anyone who doesn’t agree with me on any point is a heretic. But it is also true that if we accept people’s good intentions, and accept anyone’s new and improved teaching about our faith without comparing Scripture with Scripture, we can end up with some dangerous and blatently false teachings that are being consumed by the sheep.

Granted this discernment is unpleasant and can be abused (ya think?), but God calls some to refute teachings that stray because the lack of discernment is an abuse s well. In the end, and this is incredibly serious, we all will give an account before God concerning our teachings, our lifestyle, our compassion, our prayer life, our witness, our family, and how we were a servant of Christ.

Since there is no definition of emergent it is difficult to pin down with a label.

How about this…

Jesus and the Bible are our Creed and statement of faith.

Is that good enough? Do we need some man made creed or label to be our identity… I am a child of the Living God… a New Creation… that is what and who I am. Is that not enough?

I would be afraid to add more as that would then be saying God’s word is not enough and Jesus’ work was not finished.

Why do you need man’s testimony about us when we already have Gods?

iggy

Who would pick up the fundamentalist moniker here if I left? Who will give you guys orthodox perspectives? And who will feed you guys during the tribulation when all of you have taken the mark?

Yep, me. I carry a heavy burden here.

====))))

That is my new sign for hilarity!! Feel free to use it.

Love ya Rick.